The honorees were recognized at an Oct. 6 ceremony. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan,File)
While Hispanic Heritage Month is coming to a close Oct. 15, the celebrations are still going strong in Houston.
The 2025 Mayor’s Hispanic Heritage Awards were announced this past week, honoring Houstonians who have made a difference in distinct sectors of the community. The honorees were recognized at an Oct. 6 ceremony.
“Each honoree has excelled in their chosen profession and has made significant contributions to improving the quality of life within the Houston Hispanic community,” a press release from the mayor’s office said.
The big winner of the night was Juan Garcia, who was the recipient of the Mayor’s Lifetime Achievement Award. After 14 years of working at a major grocery store chain, Garciaa resigned to attend law school. He has risen through the ranks to go on to start his own law firm, Johnson Garcia Law.
Garcia went on to become the first Hispanic member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Executive Committee. As the son of two immigrants, Garcia has strengthened the rodeo’s Hispanic connection to Houston. Through his work on the Go Tejano Committee, Garcia has helped the organization donate twenty $20,000 college scholarships annually.
“I realized what the impact that the Rodeo was having, not only just in the community, but in the Hispanic community through Go Tejano Committee, and I just made it a mission myself to try to do more and contribute to making more of an impact than it was already doing,” Garcia said.
The other honorees include:
- Grace Zuniga, recipient of the Mayor’s Arts in the Community Award
- Michele Leal, recipient of the Mayor’s Community Activist Award
- Dr. Gabriel Rodriguez, recipient of the Mayor’s Healthcare Award
- Luz Flores, recipient of the Mayor’s Education in the Community Award
- Phyllis Lorenzo Mandola, recipient of the Mayor’s Public Service Award
- Zurisadai Dieguez, recipient of the Mayor’s Youth Activist Award
